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Susan Foerster, MPH

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Susan Foerster, MPH, is based at the Network for a Healthy California, at the California Department of Public Health. Working through the US Department of Agriculture's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Network helps 7 million low-income parents and children eat more fruits and vegetables, get daily physical activity, and increase access to healthy food and safe daily physical activity, to help reduce obesity.

Formerly, Foerster coordinated nutrition services in the Allston-Brighton neighborhoods in Boston. She joined the California Department of Health in 1973, where she has worked in certification, aging, hypertension, diabetes control, health promotion and cancer prevention. In 1988 Foerster began her first large initiative with the California 5 a Day—for Better Health! Campaign, which was adopted by the federal government in 1991 and has been emulated by at least 25 countries. In 1996, she started the California Nutrition Network for Healthy, Active Families (now the Network for a Healthy California).

Foerster served on the board of the American Cancer Society and with the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Progress in Preventing Childhood Obesity. She was selected as a "Healthy School Hero" by the White House Conference on Healthy School Environments.

Foerster received her bachelor's and master's of public health degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.

Using an Opinion Poll to Build an Obesity-Prevention Social Marketing Campaign for Low-Income Asian and Hispanic Immigrants: Report of Findings (2011)

Using a random digit-dial survey to poll 905 Hispanic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hmong, and Korean Californians adults with an income les...